LONDON: Joe Kinnear’s mysterious, disruptive, unproductive stint as director of football at Newcastle United is over.

lThe former Magpies manager stepped down from his post days after the club sold and failed to replace star midfielder Yohan Cabaye to crashed to a third successive Tyne-Tees derby defeat to Sunderland.

A club statement said: “Newcastle United can confirm that Joe Kinnear has this evening resigned from his position as Director of Football with immediate effect.”

Kinnear, who was appointed bafflingly on a three-year contract last June, left St James’ Park having not made a single permanent signing during his tenure with only strikers Loic Remy and Luuk de Jong having joined Newcastle on loan.

The former Wimbledon manager’s appointment infuriated fans after his first spell on Tyneside, when an ill-fated five-month reign as Kevin Keegan’s replacement was eventually ended by illness before Alan Shearer was parachuted in in a vain attempt to prevent the club being relegated.

It was equally unpopular with managing director Derek Llambias, who resigned to end his association with Ashley at St James’.

Kinnear, who had launched his managerial career on Tyneside with a four-letter rant at journalists, pre-empted his return in a series of increasingly bizarre interviews in which he trumpeted his suitability for the job.

He urged fans to judge him on his signings, and the chorus of disapproval reached a deafening volume last week.

Having not made a single permanent signing during the summer transfer window, Kinnear oversaw the sale of Cabaye – a player he had at one point referred to as “Yohan Kebab” – to Paris St Germain.

But with Pardew, who had not wanted to lose the Frenchman, insisting the club had to replace their playmaker if they were to stand any chance of maintaining or improving upon their current standing of eighth, they were unable to push home their interest in either Lyon’s Clement Grenier or Montpellier’s Remy Cabella.

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